A DRIVE-THROUGH penalty cost Max Chilton in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
One of three Brits taking part in the Formula 1 race, Chilton was well supported by the enthusiastic crowd but finished last after the penalty.
Starting from 17th after a gearbox problem led to a five-place penalty, Chilton was involved in a large crash towards the end of the first lap.
Kimi Raikkonen went off the track after taking a corner too wide before clipping a bump when rejoining this led to the Finn hitting the barrier, spinning, flying across a busy track and finally stopping at the opposite barrier.
The battered Ferrari clipped a number of cars on the way across the track, with Felipe Massa subsequently praised for some quick-thinking avoidance driving, narrowly avoiding hitting Raikkonen side-on. However, Williams driver Massa was forced to retire after the incident that also led to a red flag and a delay of more than an hour while a safety barrier was repaired.
Chilton's Marussia was one the cars than sustained damage with the Reigate resident pitting as the red flag was announced, with the car needing a nose change after being hit with one of Raikkonen's loose tyres.
Marussia were adamant that Chilton had entered the pitlane before the red flag was announced, tweeting: "Max was on his way in for a nose change when the track went red". However, after an investigation, Chilton was handed a drive-through penalty for entering the pits after the flag and while the rest of the field restarted from the grid, albeit in the order they were in at the flag, the young Marussia driver was forced to restart from the pits.
The penalty left Chilton last, chasing the Caterhams in front of him until Marcus Ericsson retired on lap 13.
And with the retirement of Nico Rosberg just after the midway point, Chilton was up to 17th – where he originally started on the grid.
And with Pastor Maldonado forced to retire in the final lap of the race due to a cloud of black smoke coming out of his Lotus, Chilton finally finished 16th.
Fellow Brit Lewis Hamilton won the race, with Jenson Button just missing out on a podium spot in fourth.
